After a parliamentary inquiry in September 2025 compelled the Minister for Justice to disclose how much funds have been disbursed to the Victims Reparations Commission, the Ministry issued this press release on the matter.

In the statement, the Ministry revealed that it has disbursed D22.8 million out of the D30 million allocated to the Victims Reparations Commission for 2025.

More in the press release.

The Gambia’s Reparation Commission has issued a statement announcing the commencement of the Reparations Commission.

The Commission received D17.5 million from the government in late 2025, which it is yet to completely disburse. This year [2026], D20 million has been approved for reparations payment, the same as last year.

More in the Commission’s statement.

The first week of 2026 began on a positive note for Askanwi Media after it blew the whistle on telecom operators for failing to comply with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) D75 per 1GB price ceiling, announced on 19th December 2025.

Follow Askanwi’s week-long advocacy journalism for the reduction of data prices under the price floor, which featured interviews with PURA and Gamcel.

After Askanwi blew the whistle yesterday, 6th January 2026, Africell and QCell revised their data tariffs from D130 to D65 per 1GB. This leaves Gamcel as the only telecom operator still charging D130 per 1GB—D55 above the price ceiling set by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).

Our reporter spoke to PURA and Gamcel about the lack of compliance and if customers will be refunded for overcharging during the first six days of 2026.

The interim leader of the National Alliance Accelerated Advancement (NAFAA), Ousainou Allen, has called for the recent irregular migration deaths off the coast of Jinack to be treated as “a national tragedy,” as official figures confirm dozens dead and others still missing. More in the news report.

Almost one week into 2026, Askanwi Media can reveal that only Comium appears to be complying with the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority’s (PURA) newly announced data price ceiling. Months after over 23 protestors were jailed for petitioning PURA’s D50 per 1GB price floor, PURA eventually succumbed to their demands to abolish the price floor and introduce a price ceiling, but it appears telecom companies are still not in compliance. More in the news report.

The Minister of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), Dr. Habibatou Drammeh, has declared a zero-tolerance stance on examination malpractice, as investigations near completion into 631 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results flagged for suspected cheating in 2025, a dramatic rise from just 28 cases the previous year. More in this news report.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has claimed that American armed forces carried out an overnight military operation in Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, resulting in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, in what he described as a “dark and deadly” assault ordered directly by him.

Trump warned that this may not be the last such operation, saying a second wave of attacks remains on the table. He also declared that the United States would run Venezuela during a transition period, warning that the country’s political and military leaders could face the same fate as Maduro. More in this news report.

Gambian rapper and activist Ali “Killa Ace” Cham is set to release a new single titled “We Are Lawful, We Are Legal”, featuring Sparkling Black, ahead of his concert on 2nd January 2026.

The concert is set to feature the biggest names in Gambian hip hop as fans get set to swarm the Motherland Club in SeneGambia this Friday.

More in this entertainment news report.

The People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) was forced to adjourn its elective congress yesterday, 28th December 2025, to 24th January 2026 due to a lack of quorum. More in the news report.

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations on Fiscal Transparency (CCBT) ratified a set of almost 70 recommendations and submitted them to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) on 12th July 2019.

More in the news report.

The National Assembly Member for Banjul North, Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah, has raised serious concerns over what he describes as a dangerous and recurring trend in The Gambia, the gradual ‘normalisation of violent deaths’.

Reflecting on a series of killings in recent years, Hon. Bah warned that fatal incidents increasingly pass without sustained public outrage or visible accountability. More in this news report.

President Adama Barrow has announced the launch of a $5 million livelihood support project under the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) program, aimed at benefiting at least 4,000 individuals and strengthening community resilience along the Kotu Stream.

More in the news report.

Last week, The Gambia’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) announced that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had approved the immediate disbursement of US$38.15 million [equivalent to D2.78 billion]. In its announcement, MoFEA did not indicate that the disbursements are loans or outline their conditions. After an engagement with the IMF last week, we can reveal the conditions of the loans in this feature publication.

Eighteen (18) out of twenty-two (22) registered political parties in The Gambia have signed a historic communiqué committing to concrete reforms to advance women’s political participation and representation, following the successful conclusion of a two-day National Conference on Women’s Political Participation and Representation. More in the press release.

The Government of The Gambia, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with support from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), hosted the second National Dialogue on Migration, promoting safer ways of migration. More in this news report.

The Gambia’s Reparations Commission has issued a statement calling on victims of the former regime of President Jammeh from 1994 to 2017 to register to receive reparations payments. More in this press release.

Longman Memorial Methodist Preparatory School crowned Isatou Cham as the overall winner of the 2025 Longman Preparatory Inter-School Spelling Bee, taking home a trophy and D2,000. The event took place on Thursday, 27th November 2025, at the school grounds along the Brikama Jalangbang highway. More in the news report.

Kumba Sowe of Pleroma School in Busumbala has emerged the winner of the 2025 COMMOM Championship Finals, held on 29th November 2025 at the Babucarr O. Joof Conference Centre in Brikama. The annual competition continues to grow in significance as schools across The Gambia celebrate excellence, discipline, and academic commitment among young learners. More in the news report.

The Women’s Association for Women and Victims Empowerment (WAVE) has launched a new policy document on enforced disappearances, naming Jungler Sanna Manjang as “one of the most notorious perpetrators” during former President Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year authoritarian rule. More in the news report.